The princess and the prince
by Cornelisse Linda-chan
Summary: Kitara Miria moves to Tokyo Japan, where she encounters a major set back. She promised her mom to play tennis at pro level after graduating from High School, but get's a strange encounter along the way. Her best friends Alicia and Serah are around to help her get back up again, while Kaidoh and Momo keep at it. Read, enjoy and know that I do not own PoT in any way.
1. Back to the other half of Miria's roots

"_Hey, let me introduce myself. My name is Kitara Miria and I'm half Japanese and half English. I have black hair that has a blue edge to it where the light reaches and my eyes are a sort of emerald green. My dad, Kitara Kintaro, once told me how he had met mom and how he came to love the girl named Monica Stealth. Truth be told, I really don't envy her. She's the one wanting me to play tennis and be a pro at it, while my dad only played me for the fun. His words still cling on to me; 'You may win some games and you might lose some, but remember that it's most important to learn from it'. We're on the plain to Tokyo, where I'll join Seigaku. My mom wasn't pleased with it one bit, but dad told mom to listen to me and let me do as I want to. I do hate to miss out on the fun I've had with Alicia and Serah, my best friends ever. I still remember meeting them, like it was only yesterday."_

**Flash back**

Alicia Heart, a girl with blond hair and green eyes that remind most people of the green leaves in summer and spring. I watch her as her mom leaves her at the Kindergarten and decide that I might as well try to make a friend today. I've been going to this place for about a year and I still don't have any friends. Before I decide to walk over to her, she is already standing in front of me.

"Hey, you're the Kitara girl right?" She asks me.

"Um, yeah. That's me." I reply unsurely.

"Alicia Heart's the name." She smiles at me.

"I'm Miria Kitara." I introduce myself in the western style, still insecure.

"Why aren't you playing with the others?" Alicia asks me.

"Well, I. I don't know how to make friends." I mutter the last part.

"What did you say?" She asks me, so I reply it a bit louder.

"Come again?" She says as she still doesn't hear me with all the noise of playing children around us. I take a deep breath and nearly shout that I don't know how to make friends. Alicia looks at me in confusion, while the other kids stopped playing and start laughing at me.

"Don't mind them, Miri." She tells me.

"Why do you call me Miri?" I ask her in wonder and I feel a bit stronger, steadier.

"Because I AM your friend." She states without any hesitation.

**End of flash back**

"_Believe it or not, but she made me less insecure and I finally became who I am today. Alicia and I later entered_ Elementary together and met Serah there, Alicia and I were already the best of friends by then.

**Flash back**

When we finally have the first break of the year Alicia pulls me towards Serah Moon. Serah is a brunette with gentle brown eyes that one could call chocolate brown. The both of us just sat down, but Serah did not speak. The both of us keep on doing this for about a week, until some boys start to pick on her. I walk over with a confidence I had not had if not for Alicia.

"Bug of, you ass." I tell the biggest of the boys.

"Why would I?" He shrugs.

"Because you're too weak to pull a prank in front of a teacher." I mock him.

"Thanks." Serah speaks up to me once the boy has left to play a prank on the teacher.

"No problem." I smile at her."

"Uhm, h-h-how c-c-can I th-thank y-you?" She asks, stuttering.

"No need to. Serah, right?" I ask her for her name.

"Y-yes, a-and y-you a-are?" She stutters.

"No one to be afraid of, the name's Miria Kitara and this is Alicia Heart." I tell Serah calmly.

**End of flash back**

"_After that the three of us were inseparable, if one of us went about then the others would follow. Serah has really developed a lot, she's no longer the shy girl she used to be. Serah once asked me if I was always so sure of myself, so I answered her truthfully. Serah could not believe her ears and stared at me with a wide open mouth, before she finally laughed about it after she realized that the same applied to her."_

**P&P**

"Come on Miria, the plane has landed." My mom shakes me out of my thoughts.

"'Kay mom." I reply shortly.

And with that I step out of the plain and into the heat of Japan. I take off my vest and my jogging pants and now stand in jeans that cover half of her upper leg and a white tank top. I pull my hair in a sideway tail and begin to walk to the luggage area to pick up my suitcase.

"This is where I was born." Dad tells me as he takes in a deep breath.

"Looks a lot better than London." I agree to him.

"Want to play here, it's a little better than Wimbledon." Dad tells me.

"I don't know, maybe." I tell him as I know that I have to go train if I want to become a pro after my third year at Seigaku.

"Why not enter the music club at Seigaku?" Dad whispers in my ear, so mom won't hear it.

"You think?" I whisper back my reply.

"Why not?" Dad whispers again.

"Sure, I think I will." I sigh before I grin at him.

"What are you two going on about, darling?" Mom asks dad.

"Nothing hun." He replies.

After we arrive dad takes me down to the street courts, where dad sits down on a bench.

"What is it?" I ask him.

"Your mom." Dad starts, but I stop him.

"Married you for your position in the top list." I finish his sentence.

"She did, how did you know?" He asks me.

"Just a feeling, plus mom always looks at one thing inside those magazines." I reply as I look at him.

"What I don't get is why I have to live like I'm some sort of prodigy." I sigh.

"She's never really gotten over the fact that one of those players had chosen someone else." Dad continues as if I had not spoken.

"Can't we just stop talking about this?" I ask him.

"I wish we could. Your mother is capable of nearly anything. I just want you to be safe until that time comes." Dad smiles sadly at me.

"Don't say that." I whisper to him.

"She never loved me and I knew she never would. I thought that if I married her I could keep her from doing anything drastic. Please promise me you'll keep strong, if only until you meet up with Alicia and Serah again." Dad begs of me with tears welling up in his eyes.

"I promise you that I will keep strong dad. Don't worry about me." I smile at him with a lump stuck in my throat.

* * *

So, that's it for the first chap. Hope y'all enjoyed!


	2. Kintaro's death

Welcome to another chapter of Princess and Prince (P&P), for the Echizen lovers around: Please bear with me a little longer, ne. He'll be up as soon as I feel like it, which might be faster than expected. Read and enjoy!

* * *

**P&P** **Kintaro's death**

After I wake up at six in the morning I walk towards the shower and turn it on. Today is the last of days I have free to spend until I have school to go to. After taking a quick shower I put on the same pants I wore yesterday and a light blue tank top. I run down quietly for breakfast, but as I reach the kitchen I stop dead in my tracks. My dad lays on the floor next to the chair he was sitting on before. I look at it in horror as I slowly step closer to his seemingly lifeless body to investigate his cup. I smell a faint odor of sleeping pills and I run up as fast as I can to tell mom, but then I stop as I remember what dad told me. I quickly grab my phone and dial the Japanese alarm number as quickly as I can. It seems as though hours pass by as I just sit at the table, not hungry at all. I just sit in silence and when the ambulance finally arrives I find my verdict to be true, dad died of those pills. They inform mom about the tasks at hand the moment she finally comes down. I feel sick to my stomach and decide to go for a walk, but the members of the ambulance wish to examine me for any signs of trauma. I reluctantly go with them for the test, only to find out that I have no such signs. I sigh in horror the moment I walk over to the street courts, the place that I last talked to dad. I sit down on a bench and watch other people play doubles, but I don't feel like it at all. I wonder about many things that day as I just sit there, watching the sky float by peacefully.

"The doctors told me that Kintaro had committed suicide." Mom tells me, but I don't want to listen to it.

"Did he?" I ask her quizzically.

"Why will you not believe me?" Mom asks me.

"He had no reason for it, he loved life and the people around him. Why would he commit such a deed if there's nothing wrong?" I reply darkly.

"Come on home, dear. The funeral will be held next Saturday." She informs me.

A voice in the back of my mind reminds me that it ain't normal to take so long before the burying, but I don't speak my mind.

**P&P**

When I wake up I feel empty, but dress myself for school anyway. I grab a slice of bread and run off quickly towards school.

"Miri!" I hear Alicia call out to me.

"Hey Ally." I reply with a sad voice.

"What happened to you?" Serah asks me.

"Things." I reply darkly.

"You do know you can tell us, right." Serah tells me.

"I found dad at the kitchen this morning, dead as can be. Drunk a mug filled with sleeping pills, which I know he'd never do by himself." I reply distantly.

"You know, Kintaro-sama told us that your mom was up to something. We decided to follow you here and enter Seishun." Alicia tells me.

"Don't worry, we'll be there for you." Serah ensures me.

"Thanks." I mutter as walk towards the cafeteria to await our schedules and get assigned to a class.

**P&P**

_"Serah, Alicia and I are assigned the same class as some boisterous guy with spiky black hair, who tells us to call him Momo. There's also some guy hissing with annoyance as he looks at the boy, for which I cannot blame him. The five of us head towards class, while some boy boosts about his tennis skills. I believe his name is Arai or something, he's really getting on my nerves none the less."_

"Want to check out the courts?" Serah asks me.

"Sure, just this once." I reply in sadness.

And so the three of us walk there, with Momo in our wake.

"You can only join the team if you can knock this can over." The boy I think is Arai states and he shows them how it's done. He challenges the other freshmen to give it a try, but first fills the can with rocks. Momo is registering for the club as we look at the scene.

"I was so sure I hit it, Arai-kun." One of the other boys tells him.

"You did." I reply, which makes everyone look at me.

"Hand me your racket and I'll show you, I'll show you why it won't budge." I tell the boy, while the hissing boy with a bandana joins to watch.

"What's this?" Momo asks.

"Fshhh, idiot." The boy mutters.

"What was that, viper?" He asks him.

"Will you knock it off!" I yell at them.

"Che, fine." Momo replies reluctantly as the boy only nods.

"Who're you?" Ally asks him.

"Kaidoh Kaoru." He replies, without a hiss for once.

I walk towards my position and take out a few balls. I swing the first one up and hit it with accuracy.

"To the ground and up to the top of it." I state before the ball follows the path I had just described and make rocks fall out of the can.

"He can knock a can down with rocks?" One of the boys reply in awe.

"No you moron, he put them in after he had shown you." I reply as I walk back and give the racket back to the boy.

"Why don't you join the tennis team?" Momo asks.

"Don't feel like it, plus there's more than enough time for me to play tennis after I finished school." I reply.

"Her mom already forced her into tournaments back in England, so she earns a little rest." Serah states.

"What's your name?" Momo asks.

"Fshhh. Idiot." Kaidoh hisses again, which makes Momo grasp the collar of his shirt. Kaidoh responds by doing the exact same thing with Momo.

"Calm down you two, go at it at the tennis court will you." I state.

"My name is Serah Moon and this is Alicia Heart." Serah introduces the two of them.

"Kitara Miria's the name." I follow up.

"Kitara Kintaro's daughter?" Both ask in awe.

"That's me and proud to be." I state coldly.

* * *

That's the wrap of chapter two already, but there is yet much more to come.


	3. The funeral

****So I kinda decided that Miria's first year will only get a little of my time, seeing that I want to wrap three years of her going to Seigaku into this one story. The storyline might go a bit fast because of it, but I do hope it doesn't have any consequences.

**However, do read and enjoy this chapter and the many chapters to come :D**

* * *

**P&P The funeral**

_"Somehow the days I've spent at school don't seem real to me. I do know that after that one incident I've walked towards to music club to enter, but it seems unreal to me. I walk the path I wanted to walk before, but I have this empty feeling inside of me. Like someone else is living my life, just like Ryoga told me he felt before he left to go his own way._

**Flash back**

"What are you doing here, squirt?" A rather tall boy asks me.

"What about you, like the view up there?" I snap at him.

"Hey, relax squirt. I'm Ryoga, what's your name?" Ryoga asks me.

"You're asking a girl of seven years old?" I ask him.

"Apparently so." Ryoga says.

"The name's Kitara Miria, last name first." I reply numbly as he comes sitting next to me.

"You still haven't answered my first question." Ryoga laughs as he takes a bite out of an orange.

"Why do you care?" I ask him.

"Because I felt lost at some point, lost because I didn't know what I wanted to do or where I wanted to do it. My dad always taught me how to play tennis, but I want to play on my own terms. At least that's what I think." Ryoga tells me.

"Why tell me all of this? I'm sure your dad would have understood." I say.

"First tell me why you're here, squirt." Ryoga teases me.

**End of flash back**

_"I never told him why I was there, because I felt like it would be betrayal to my mom. But now that I walk alongside of her, I can't help but notice her smiling. Mom is smiling at my dad's funeral, just the thought of it makes me want to throw up. Why, why is she smiling like the world is only beginning? I keep going over it countless times, only to find out that I still feel the same way about it. Serah and Alicia keep trying to cheer me up, while Kaidoh and Momo are fighting more and more during classes and outside the school. I'm not even trying to stop them anymore, because I feel so numb."_

"Mi-chan. Mi-chan!" Serah shouts at me as I don't notice anything that's going on around me anymore.

"What is it, Serah?" I ask her absent mindedly.

"Geez, you've been down and out for about two months already. Why don't you stay over at Alicia's, since our parents decided to move here too." Serah states as we walk towards the music club.

"You really need some time entertainment." Alicia agrees.

"Mom'll take me to America soon, to see the US open." I reply numb.

"For how long will you be gone?" Alicia asks me.

"About a month or so." I reply coldly.

"She's become so cold." Alicia says.

"He was the only one capable of keeping her mom at bay." Serah states.

"Maybe we should take her somewhere fun after she's returned from the US." Alicia thinks out loud.

"We don't even know what we could do here." Serah states.

"Then we search the web and ask our fellow students." Alicia waves away Serah's statement.

* * *

Well, that's it for this chapter ;)


	4. US Open

****Welcome to the shortest chapter that I made so far, however I do wish you the normal fun reading it.

* * *

**P&P The US open**

_"Time seems so fly by, although my mind only registers the things school wants to test us on. I haven't gotten a single test lower than 60% for some reason, but everything around me keeps moving forward. One boy makes me snap back into reality, a boy that looks like Ryoga._

"Ryoga?" I whisper softly as I watch the boy, only to realize that it ain't Ryoga.

"That's Echizen Ryoma, he's Echizen Nanjiro's son." Mom tells me as she encourages the boy.

Ryoma looks up being annoyed by the sound, just as I hit my head softly with the palm of my left hand. Ryoma keeps looking for a bit longer, only to realize that the game should start now.

"Why are you rooting for him?" I ask mom.

"Because he's very talented, maybe the two of you could practice together." Mom states.

"Whatever." I reply coldly as Iturn to head towards the exit.

"Who're you?" A strange man asks me.

"Linda, Hinatara Kisa." I lie to him.

"You look more like Kitara's daughter." The man replies.

"Whatever." I reply coldly.

"Did you enjoy the match?" The man asks.

"No." I state as I stare at him.

"Too bad." He replies before he turns away.

"What a strange guy." I think out loud.

"Who is?" I hear a voice from behind me.

"Some random dude who stood here." I reply as I shrug my shoulders.

"Whatever." The boy behind me shrugs before he walks off in the same direction as the strange man.

"No way! You saw the Echizens, even talked to them, and had no clue as to who they are!?" My mom rages at me.

"How am I supposed to know, I never met them remember." I mutter.


	5. Back to school

I am on a roll! No, seriously. I've been thinking long and hard about whether I should put these chapters on or not, because I thought that it might make people quit reading... T_T ... However, I have made up my mind and decided to do it. So enjoy yourselves.

* * *

**P&P Back at school**

"Yo!" I call out to Serah and Alicia.

"Did you hear?" Alicia asks me.

"Hear what?" I ask her.

"The prince of tennis is coming to this school next year." Serah states.

"Great." I mumble.

"Maybe he'll love you." Ally teases me.

"Nah." I state as we walk to class.

"You go ahead." I state as I see a guy standing near the gate.

"Sure." The girls reply before I head towards the gate.

"You really have a good memory." Ryoga compliments me.

"Thank you, but why are you here in Tokyo Japan?" I ask him.

"My parents want to move over, so I wanted to know what it was like." Ryoga explains.

"I see, so that means you're still looking out for your younger brother. Even though you are adopted by his parents." I voice my thoughts.

"Plus I wanted to know how the squirt grew up." Ryoga teases.

"Hey." I pout.

"You actually grew to be quite tall." Ryoga grins at me.

"You know, at the US open I saw this boy that looked a great deal like you." I say as I steal his orange.

"You saw him play?" Ryoga asks.

"Yes, but something was off. As if he'd only enjoy it against an opponent he isn't playing, only if he could beat that person he would try to move on." I voice my thoughts.

"That's why I wanted to quit living with them." Ryoga tells me.

"Because only training against them wouldn't make you beat them." I nod at him.

"True, squirt." Ryoga ruffles through my hair.

"Hey." I pout before I start laughing.

"Go to class, squirt." Ryoga points out.

"Sure thing, Ryoga-kun." I reply before I run off.

**P&P**

"So, what do you want to do about the summer holiday?" Serah asks me.

"I don't know yet. I guess I'll go try that sixteen plus competition in the girls' section." I reply.

"How about we go to the fair?" Alicia asks us.

"Yeah!" Serah shouts as a reply.

"Well?" They ask me.

"Ryoga, the heck are you still doing here?" I ask him as I spot him near the gate again.

"I was hoping I could have a word with you." Ryoga states.

"I'll see you at the fair, gotta talk to this dude right now." I tell the girls.

"Sure." They reply before they head off.

"So, it's not just wanting to see how much I've grown." I tease him.

"Could you look after him for me?" Ryoga asks me.

"What do you mean?" I question him.

"That chibi doesn't know how to find happiness and fun, so I was hoping that you could teach him your ways." Ryoga confesses.

"You don't know the meaning of those words either." I state as I look him in the eyes.

"That's why I can't stay with him, it'll only confuse him more." Ryoga agrees with me.

"I don't know if I can. Help him, that is." I tell him.

"You're the only one who can teach him the importance of life, squirt." Ryoga says.

"I'll try." I tell him.


	6. Holiday

The new remade version of Holiday.

* * *

**P&P Holiday**

"This fair is amazing." Serah states in awe.

"Let's go into the haunted house first!" Alicia shouts happily.

"Sure." Both Serah and I agree.

And so we head off towards the haunted house, followed by the Ferris Wheel and last but not least we go to see the fireworks.

"Wow." The three of us stare at the beautiful fireworks.

"If you ever need help, just come to us." Serah instructs me.

"I will." I reply.

I wake up early and start packing my tennis bag and quickly shower. As I put on my white tennis skirt with light blue stripes on the sides, my t-shirt with the same pattern, white tennis shoes with hints of light blue, blue and dark blue and my cap. The final touch is a light blue wristband on my right hand side. I walk down for breakfast and quickly eat it all up, because today is the day of the tournament.

"This is the Western style grip." An annoying boy states in the train as he shows it to his friends, while almost hitting the girl sitting behind him.

"You're annoying." Both me and another boy state simultaneously.

"What did you say?" The boy growls just as the train wobbles and he drops his racket.

"Now that's the correct Western grip." The boy states as I look at him.

"Where do you think you're going?" The boy pushes me back with a lot of force, while I use all my strength to keep standing.

"Towards the door of the train, you moron. This is my stop." I scold him.

"No way." He says stoically. I raise an eyebrow and push him aside with ease.

We all leave the train and as the girl tells us to head south, I decide to go north.

As I reach my destination I find that my match will be later that day, just before the boys have a break.

"And now, the match you've all been dying to see. Kitara Miria versus Hinatawa Kyoya!" The announcer shouts as the boy with the cap lays down.

"Smooth." I state as she spins her racket.

"You're first to serve." Kyoya states.

"Why thank you." I say as I bounce the ball with my right hand and prepare myself to serve.

"Miria pushes Kyoya back with a Hurricane Serve!" The announcer shouts in amazement.

"No way, now Miria is hitting a Lightning Serve! How much more is she going to show us?" The announcer states.

"Game, Miria, six games to love." The referee decides the match.

"You play okay." I tell Kyoya as I reach to shake her hand, which she doesn't take.

"Who is she?" The girl from the train whispers to an elderly woman.

"She's called the princess of tennis and has won four UK opens, her father is Kitara Kintaro." The woman tells her.

"Don't call me a princess just yet." I state as I walk by.

"You have a match?" I ask the boy that's leisurely lying in the grass.

"I was late." He answers me.

"Hey you!" The annoying boy from the train says loudly.

"What do YOU want?" I ask him annoyed.

"You'll regret the way you talked to me." The boy says as he points to the boy I was talking to before.

"There you have your game." I say as I look at the boy with an R on his cap.

"We'll play doubles, come over here Kyoya!" The boy calls out to my opponent.

"Go opposite of where I'm going and I'll take the opposite side for you. It's pretty easy if you're willing to cooperate." I explain to him.

"Echizen Ryoma, you are?" He asks me.

"The boy from the US Open, what luck I have." I mumble.

"Name's Kitara Miria." I tell him.

"You ready yet?" The boy asks us in annoyance.

"Why don't you serve first?" I ask them.

"Sure thing." They reply and the boy serves first.

"Echizen, left!" I instruct him as I head right. Echizen returns the ball and scores the first point.

"Fifteen love." I declare.

"Five games to love." His friends call out.

"This is boring." I state coldly.

"Is this boring too?" Kyoya asks me as she smashes the ball towards my face.

"Show off." I mutter as I catch the ball in my hand.

"It's our turn to serve, remember?" I ask her.

Ryoma hits a twist serve, which hits near the base line.

"That's out." The boy calls out to us.

Ryoma serves again and then asks if that ball was also out, but it's laying motionless on the ground within the lines.

"I can beat you." Our opponents state.

"No you can't." The elderly woman states.

"True." I reply calmly as I switch my racket to my right hand.

"No way." The girl mutters.

"And not just me." I smile darkly as Echizen switches to his left hand.

"How much better can you be." They smirk at us.

"Let me demonstrate." I smile darkly before I hit the Lightning Serve with much more ease.

"No way." Kyoya mumbles before she runs off.

"What about you, twerp?" The boy smirks at him and Echizen shows him his true power.

"Not too shabby." I state coldly as I walk off.

"Maybe we have a diamond combo next to our silver and gold soon." The woman tells her grandchild.


	7. The second year

****First off, I do not own Toni Braxton's Spanish Guitar. Much like the fact that I don't own the characters of PoT, except my own characters used in the story. Read and enjoy. And ,before I forget, I really have the intention of making this part longer than the first year.

* * *

**P&P 2nd school year**

"Miria-chan!" Serah and Alicia call out to me.

"Hey girls!" I wave at them as they run up to me.

"You and that Echizen guy might even be a better combo then Oishi and Eiji." Serah states in excitement.

"You do realize that I'm in the music club?" I ask them.

"We do." They pout.

"Hey! Why don't you try out for the tennis team this year, Miria-chan." Momo asks me.

"I don't want to." I state coldly.

"Please, I'm sure Coach Ryuzaki wouldn't mind." Momo begs me.

"Me in a boys team? Have you lost your mind?" I ask him.

"Who is that!" I hear a girl shout.

"My eardrums are NOT adapting to THAT sound. Someone take that mic away from her." I state as I look at the source of the noise.

"Uhm, ah. Th-that's, R-r-Ryoma-kun." The girl stutters.

"And you are?" She asks her.

"R-r-Ryuzaki S-Sakuno." Sakuno stutters.

"Osakada Tomoka." She replies.

"Hey, Inui-kun!" I wave at him.

"Want to try some of my juice?" Inui asks me.

"After school, if you don't mind." I reply.

"You're joining us for practice?" Inui asks me.

"Maybe." I answer him.

"Just come already." Momo says to me as he and my best friends are pulling me towards the court.

"I don't want to!" I shout before they drop me on a side bench.

"Change into your outfit." Momo instructs me.

"No way!" I shout at him.

"You don't have to shout, Miria-chan." Eiji states as he hugs me tightly from behind, until I poke him in his stomach harshly.

"Why don't you sing us a song?" Inui asks me.

"Fine, which one?" I ask them.

"How about Spanish Guitar by Toni Braxton?" Momo teases me, but the others agree.

_A smoky room, a small cafe  
They come to hear you play  
And drink and dance the night away  
I sit out in the crowd  
And close my eyes  
Dream you're mine  
But you don't know  
You don't even know that I am there_

I wish that I was in your arms  
Like that Spanish guitar  
And you would play me through the night  
'Till the dawn  
I wish you'd hold me in your arms  
Like that Spanish guitar  
All night long, all night long  
I'd be your song, I'd be your song

Steal my heart with every note you play  
I pray you'll look my way  
And hold me to your heart someday  
I long to be the one that you caress with_  
tenderness  
And you don't know  
You don't even know that I exist___

I wish that I was in your arms  
Like that Spanish guitar  
And you would play me through the night  
'Till the dawn  
I wish you'd hold me in your arms  
Like that Spanish guitar  
All night long, all night long  
I'd be your song, I'd be your song

Te sientas entre la gente  
Cierras tu ojos  
Y suenas que soy tuyo  
Pero yo no siquiera se que estas ahi  
Me gustaria tenerte entre mis brazos amor

I sit out in the crowd  
And close my eyes  
Dream you're mine  
And you don't know  
You don't even know that I exist

I wish that I was in your arms  
Like that Spanish guitar  
And you would play me through the night  
'Till the dawn  
I wish you'd hold me in your arms  
Like that Spanish guitar  
All night long, all night long  
_I'd be your song, I'd be your song_

"That was great." The boys mutter, while Echizen just stands and watches.

"Thanks, but I still have a ways to go." I state calmly.

"Why not train with them, just this once." Ryuzaki-coach invites us, so we change into our tennis outfits. Though I'm reluctant about it.

"Arai got beaten at his game again." Momo informs me.

"Really, that's no surprise anymore." I shrug at him as we keep running laps.

"That Echizen is really something." Momo continues.

"She played doubles with him." Alicia states calmly as we enter the final lap.

"Line up." Ryuzaki-coach instructs us.

"Kitara, you and Echizen will play against the golden pair Oishi and Eiji." Ryuzaki instructs us.

"Yeesh." I sigh as I walk towards a court and pick my blue and silver racket from my bag.

"Just today, it's only today." I mutter to myself as I look at Oishi and Eiji.

I close my eyes and remember what Ryoga told me before he left again.

"Follow your lead?" Echizen asks me.

"Maybe." I answer him as I take the right side of the court.

"Calm down, Miri. Calm down, it's just a game. The most important thing is to enjoy the game and learn from it." I whisper to myself.

"Go, Ryoma-sama!" Tomoka shouts.

"You can do it, Miri!" Alicia and Serah encourage me gentler than Tomoka encourages Ryoma.

"Why don't you serve first, Miria-chan." Eiji asks demandingly.

"Why not." I reply as I serve the ball.

"Isn't that the Rainbow Serve?" The boys ask one another outside the courts.

"Fifteen love!" Ryuzaki states.

"And the Hurricane serve!" Horio shouts.

"Thirty love!" Ryuzaki declares.

"Game set and match, Kitara Echizen pair. Seven games to five." Ryuzaki ends as we've just won.

"They're stronger than the golden pair." Most state in awe.

"That's the first time I've had to use my right hand in a year. Thanks for the match." I state smiling as I shake their hands.

"Mada mada dane." Echizen sighs as he looks at it.

"Miria-san, we should really practice for the sing off." Mizuko, head of the music club, states.

"Coming." I tell him as I pick my bag up and leave towards the club room.

"See y'all later." I tell the tennis members before I run after Mizuko.

"So, what songs do you want to use?" I ask Mizuko.

"We don't know yet." The brunette boy with azure eyes states.

"Hm, what about I sing Yui's Again?" I ask him.

"You could do that?" He asks me.

"Sure." I reply with a smile.

"Let's think about more songs tomorrow." Mizuko states as he prepares to head home.

"Will do." I state as I walk out.


	8. A few days of school, a truth revealed

****Another song is used and I do NOT own it, but the eighth chapter is up and ready. Enjoy!

* * *

**P&P the next day**

"You were great." Serah begins.

"Echizen kept following your lead." Alicia ads.

"How am I supposed to teach that kid my ways, having fun, knowing happiness and look after him?" I state in confusion.

"What are you going on about?" The girls ask me.

"I promised someone that I'd look out for him and teach him how to enjoy life, but I can't." I answer them.

"Why?" They ask me.

"Because he's constantly searching for the spotlight and only wants to face one person." I explain.

"That's Echizen Ryoma, also known as the prince of tennis and son to the samurai Echizen Nanjiro." Inoue explains Sheba.

"And who is she?" Sheba asks him.

"Kitara Miria, known as the princess of tennis and daughter to Kitara Kintaro. But she won't accept the title until either Ryoma-kun dates her or she defeats him in a game." Inoue explains.

"Why don't the two of you play a game?" Sheba asks us.

"Sure." Echizen replies indifferently.

"No." I state.

"But he's already accepted it." Inoue tries to convince me.

"Fight o!" All the others shout.

"That's all that matters, doesn't it? As long as the prince agrees." I hiss at him.

"No, I don't want to!" I shout as I'm being dragged off into the courts.

"Good luck, nya." Eiji waves at us.

"Dad, if only I had kept training." I mutter as my knees feel too weak to keep me standing.

"Echizen versus Kitara, Kitara to serve." Momo announces.

"He won't teach me anything at all!" I shout in anger as I hit the Hurricane Serve.

"Fifteen love." Momo declares.

"He's just some sort of stuck up brat!" I fume as I hit another Hurricane Serve.

"Thirty love!" Momo shouts.

"Let's end this another time." I huff as the score is now six games to five.

"Why?" Echizen asks.

"Because we're both exhausted." I point out to him.

"No, I can still go." Echizen huffs.

"Then you'll win this one by default, I don't need a nickname for playing tennis anyway." I state before I turn around and head towards the door.

"You can't go yet." Tezuka states.

"I didn't think I'd need permission." I mock him.

"Finish the game." Tezuka demands me.

"Sure, I'll lose on purpose then." I turn around and sit down on the ground.

"Go ahead." I dare Echizen.

"The fun ended a long time ago anyway." I declare.

"What fun?" Echizen asks me as he sits down as well.

"The fun of playing tennis." I answer him as I lay down.

"Let's finish another time." Echizen whispers.

"They won't let us go, remember?" I point out to him.

"Miria, I thought you'd help us out today." Mizuko snaps at me.

"Get me out of here and I can!" I snap back at him as I stand up.

"You're no longer welcome, you hear me." Mizuko yells at me.

"Fine, whatever." I state coldly, while my eyes widened beneath my cap and tears start to well up inside of me.

"I WILL move on. And keep strong, if only for our promise. Dad, why did you let yourself get fooled by her?" I mutter to myself as I pick up one of the balls.

"Want to go one more game?" Echizen asks me.

"Whatever." I reply numbly.

And so Echizen serves and wins the game, I didn't learn anything from it.

**P&P**

I wake up, remembering that I cut off some of my own hair. My hair now reaches halfway to my neck.

"Miria-chan, we should head to school now!" Alicia yells up the stairs of her own home.

"I know it's hard on you, but it'll turn out just fine. You'll see." Alicia tries to cheer me up.

We walk outside to find my mom flirting with a monk.

"Come on, Nanjiro-san. Please." She begs him.

"Let's move, I don't want to see this." I state as I look away from Monica.

"Do you want to visit his grave?" Alicia asks me.

"Yes, I do." I whisper softly.

"Hey, Miria! Hey Alicia!" Serah waves at us.

"Who's she?" Momo asks as he joins up with us, with Echizen by his side.

"You're a nice one." I reply.

"Miria-chan?" Momo asks as both he and Echizen look closely.

"The one and only." I reply.

"When are you coming home, Miria?" Mom asks me.

"Come on." Serah whispers in my ear before she drags me into a sprint towards school.

"Nice save." I smile at her as I've regained my breath.

"Thanks." Serah smiles back in return.

"Why did you two run off?" Momo demands as they catch up to us.

"We all hate my mom." I state coldly.

"Why's that?" Momo asks.

"Things happened, nothing you should know of." I reply.

"How's your dad?" Momo asks me.

"Dead." I reply numbly before I run away to make sure they don't see me crying.

"For about a year now." Serah explains before both Serah and Alicia run after me.

During music class we have to sing: One moment in time by Whitney Houston.

_Each day I live  
I want to be  
A day to give  
The best of me  
I'm only one  
But not alone  
My finest day  
Is yet unknown_

I broke my heart  
Fought every gain  
To taste the sweet  
I face the pain  
I rise and fall  
Yet through it all  
This much remains

I want one moment in time  
When I'm more than I thought I could be  
When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away  
And the answers are all up to me  
Give me one moment in time  
When I'm racing with destiny  
Then in that one moment of time  
I will feel  
I will feel eternity

I've lived to be  
The very best  
I want it all  
No time for less  
I've laid the plans  
Now lay the chance  
Here in my hands

Give me one moment in time  
When I'm more than I thought I could be  
When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away  
And the answers are all up to me  
Give me one moment in time  
When I'm racing with destiny  
Then in that one moment of time  
I will feel  
I will feel eternity

You're a winner for a lifetime  
If you seize that one moment in time  
Make it shine

Give me one moment in time  
When I'm more than I thought I could be  
When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away  
And the answers are all up to me  
Give me one moment in time  
When I'm racing with destiny  
Then in that one moment of time  
I will be  
I will be  
I will be free  
I will be  
I will be free

"Sir, I think that's a little too difficult." I state in all honesty.

"Then you sing it, while the rest plays the instruments." The teacher states.

"So, you wanna go?" Serah asks me.

"Yes." I reply in a soft whisper.

"Can we come too?" Momo asks us.

"We?" I ask unsurely.

"We can't just tag along, nya." Eiji warns Momo.

"Whatever you want, just don't trample on his grave." I warn them coldly.

"Hey dad, looks like she's forgotten you already." I sigh as I clean the grave a little.

"Kintaro-san shouldn't have married her." Serah states in anger.

"Then you wouldn't be who you are now." I state as I sit down on the edge of dad's grave.

"You two deserve better." Alicia states calmly.

"Well, I will have to become a pro tennis player after our third year. I guess I'll be released from her grip by then." I state darkly.

"Don't do it. We know how much you hate it." Serah begs me.

"I have to, if I don't want to wind up like dad." I whisper.

"Dead?" Echizen asks.

"By meds, sleeping pills even." I sigh as I go over that event.

"Why would he?" Oishi starts, but I stop him.

"He never had the intention, unfortunately someone else did have that intension. Someone who knew he was having a cold and couldn't smell anything." I reply darkly.

"She found him." Alicia ads.

"Is that why you were talking about tennis having lost the fun of it?" Oishi asks worriedly.

"Nobody plays for the fun anymore, admit it. One of the few who did died last year and nobody cared about it." I answer him.

"We do play to win, but having fun with the other members is just as important." Tezuka informs me.

"Want to be our manager? That way you can teach us how to enjoy it even more." Oishi suggests.

"Why not, I don't have anything else to do anyway." I reply sadly.

**P&P At the Prince's house that night**

"So, how was your day today?" Nanjiro asks Ryoma.

"Okay." Ryoma replies coldly.

"Is there a girl?" Nanjiro asks him.

"No!" Ryoma shouts in anger.

"Did something happen?" Nanako asks her nephew.

"No." Ryoma replies dully.


	9. Me? A manager?

**Hey y'all! Chapter nine out of... well, that's still a guess I suppose. Anyway, please read and enjoy and maybe leave me a little review.**

* * *

**P&P The first day as a manager**

"Inui will provide the schedules and the drinks, all you have to do is monitor them." Ryuzaki instructs me.

"Right." I say as I walk towards the court.

"Twenty laps around the courts, you too Miss Manager." Tezuka instructs us.

"You're such a stiff." I mutter before I start running.

"Keep it going, spirit up! What're you doing? Keeping up!" I chant as I run up front of the others.

"This is lame, Tezuka." I pout at him as I pass by our starting point once again.

"What would you suggest?" He asks me.

"More variation, including sit ups and possible other activities during these laps. Like a bit of jumping up and down." I state as I start jumping up and down as I continue forward.

"Or maybe a bit of this!" I shout as I run and flip forward swiftly.

"You're going to do an extra lap." Tezuka points out to me.

"Like I care." I reply as I head forward, smiling like I haven't done for about a year.

"Still not sweating?" Tezuka asks me.

"Nope, that's what you get for ignoring me as a manager." I laugh at him.

"Miria, looks like you're finally getting up again." Serah mutters and Alicia agrees.

"We're going to go against each other now." Inui informs them as I stand beside him, Tezuka and Ryuzaki.

"The person who can't score within five returns has to drink my new juice. Additionally, if you fail to defend you'll have to drink it as well." Inui informs them.

"Inui, you against me." I wink at him.

"Is she crazy?" Eiji asks the others.

"Saa." Fuji states with an evil grin.

And so the first matches are Echizen versus Tezuka, Momo versus Kaidoh and Inui against me.

"You're calculating too much!" I grin at him.

"This'll make for some great data." Inui states.

"There's a sixty percent chance that you can't come back during our match." I inform him.

"You play data tennis?" Inui asks me.

"Not just data tennis, I play all sorts of tennis. You should try it out." I tell him.

The others lay down their rackets and start to watch my match.

"Try harder!" I instruct him.

"What do you mean?" Inui asks me.

"Try to analyze the data during the game, data which'll provide you with more skills." I explain.

"By analyzing the move itself, you can gain that skill and eventually make it your own." I state as I am close to my final win.

We keep rallying, even though we're way past the five turns.

"I give up." Inui states as he walks towards the table to grab himself some juice.

"Give me one too, I didn't get any yesterday." I remind him.

"Refreshing." I state after I finish drinking the juice.

"She's crazy." Most of the regulars mutter.

"Just train, you morons." I instruct them.

"So, you want her paired with Echizen?" Tezuka whispers at Ryuzaki.

"They do make a great team, considering the fact that Echizen has only ever played doubles twice. Both times with her as his partner. Here's some footage." Ryuzaki replies in a whisper as she hands Tezuka the tape.

"She must really be something." Tezuka replies.

"Her father taught her how to play and I think he's done a better job than Nanjiro." Ryuzaki states as the others begin their matches.

"I never thought I'd enjoy it again, thanks." I smile at Ryuzaki.

"What does she mean?" Echizen asks himself in a whisper.

"Mind if I hit a ball by myself?" I ask Ryuzaki.

"Go ahead." She smiles at me.

I head towards a wall and hit it on the same spot as I stand without moving an inch. Then I switch into moving, while I hit the ball by hitting it with a curve.

"Training is over." Fuji, who is a head taller than me, informs me.

"Thanks for the information." I reply as I put my equipment in my bag.

"Would you mind going to Taka's with us?" Fuji asks me.

"Why?" I ask him.

"All regulars will be there and Alicia and Serah are coming over as well." Fuji informs me.

"I guess there's no harm in it." I reply as I swing my bag over my shoulder.

"Let's go, mina!" Taka shouts.

"Miri-chan, hurry up!" Alicia pouts as she drags me along.

"You sure don't waste time." I grin at her.

"Ryoma-sama!" Tomoka shouts as Sakuno tries to calm her friend.

"She's killing my eardrums." I state annoyed.

"Momo, do you think Arai will also do that trick next year?" I ask my classmate.

"Probably." Momo grins.

"It kinda makes you wonder, though." I state calmly.

"Maybe three times will be his charm, although we still have Echizen and you to fix things up for them." Momo grins.

"Cheating your way up will always end up in failure, Momoshiro-kun." I lecture him.

"What makes you say that?" Momo asks me.

"That's up to you to decide, baka." I giggle at him.

"Wow, looks great Taka-san." Serah tells Taka.

"Mi-tan!" A little boy cries out as he runs towards me.

"Mom and dad told me we'd never see you again." The little brunette boy sobs, while I put my hands on his shoulders as I sit down on my knees to look him in the eyes.

"You must be Takuto, right?" I ask him.

"Yes, Mi-tan." Takuto sobs.

"Good to see you, Ta-kun." I smile at him as I hug him.

"Takuto-kun?" A woman a few years younger than my mom calls out to Takuto.

"Mommy, Mi-tan is here!" Takuto calls out to her.

"Miria-chan, good to see you're okay. I was afraid your mom would make you lose your mind." My aunt Kisa states as she walks over to us.

"Looks like you've made some great friends, both in England and in Japan." Kisa smiles at me.

"Sure have, aunt Kisa." I reply.

"Have you forgotten to just call me Kisa?" She wonders.

"Not really. How's Minato doing?" I ask her about my uncle.

"He's just fine, although he'd rather see you living with us." Kisa informs me.

"I see, please tell him that I'm fine. And I'm living with Alicia and her parents for the time being, so he doesn't need to worry." I tell her.

"Sure, see you later Miria." Kisa states before the two walk away.


	10. Author's note

**I am going to rewrite the story, because I feel like I should go about it differently. I really appreciate the people who have followed me up to the last chapter, well... it will only be the last for this story for now. If you would like me to keep posting the chapters here as well, then please do give me your opinion by PM or review. **

**Note: This note shall be deleted in due time.**

**Thanks a bunch!**


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